Category: Teddy Bears

Posted on by — 1 Comment

Highlighting Antique Teddy Bears

Here at The Zoo Factory, we love teddy bears. We also love learning and reading about rare, antique teddy bears. We recently found an article distributed by Highlighting Antique Teddy BearsAntique Trader highlighting some incredible vintage teddy bears. These bears have contributed to the history of the teddy bear brand and paved the way for teddy bears as we know them today.

Antique Trader explained that teddy bears likely originated well before President Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt, although many people believe they were invented because of him.

However, there is information that could support the existence of teddy bears as early as the 1800’s.

Rod Bear

Steiff (located in Germany) is often credited with creating the first ever teddy bear in 1902. The oldest Steiff bear, which can only be found today in museums and private collections, was known as the “Rod Bear.” The rod had internal iron rods that held the stuffing in place. Some of these special bears also had a button inside of their ear that had an elephant symbol on it. These bears now sell for $10,000 to $30,000 today.

“Doll” Size Bears

In 1907, Steiff sold about one million teddy bears on the Atlantic City boardwalk. The company created a smaller version of the “Rod Bear” that was 10 inches long. The bear was intended for little boys that had sisters who loved to play with dolls. The bear allowed boys to play with their sisters using small teddy bears instead of dolls. This bear, along with its concept, became extremely popular. They now sell today for about $500 per inch so the bigger the bear, the bigger the price tag.

Talking Bear

In 1912, Heinrich Mueller started his own business. He had previously worked at a toy company before deciding to branch out on his own. In 1920, he introduced the first “talking” bear. His “Schuco Yes-No” teddy bear had a mechanism that shook the bear’s head up or down. By tugging the bear’s tail, the person holding the bear could make him say “”yes” or say “no.” This bear was especially popular in schools, and librarians loved to use them in order to tell stories.

If you’re inspired to start building your own collection of priceless teddy bears, visit The Zoo Factory today.

Posted on by — 1 Comment

What the Color of Your Teddy Bear Means

A teddy bear can symbolize a variety of things such as love, loWhat the Color of Your Teddy Bear Means yalty, faith, growth, and happiness. A teddy bear can serve as a “get well card” or a heartfelt romantic gesture. Teddy bears come in a variety of sizes, shapes, and colors, and believe it not, the color of a teddy bear typically has a specific meaning associated with it.

Although we’d encourage you to simply pick the teddy bear simply you like the most, it’s fun to know what the color might mean:

Green

Shades of green often symbolize things such as growth, harmony, freshness, and fertility. Green represents a very strong emotional connection and is perfect for an expectant mother or someone that you have built a strong relationship with that you are hoping to develop into something more.

Red

A red teddy bear is a bold declaration of love, and if you want to make a statement about how much you love someone, a red bear is a sweet way to do so! The color red is representative of passion, desire, and never-ending love: a red teddy bear does a great job of showcasing that.

Brown

We absolutely adore a brown teddy bear. A brown teddy bear is the “go-to” classic teddy bear color which represents stability, support, and protection. If you just want to simply show someone that you care about them or provide a sweet source of comfort to a little one, a brown teddy bear is guaranteed to make someone smile.

Orange

An orange teddy bear is extremely unique and vibrant, and it stands out against most other bears. The color orange typically indicates happiness and enthusiasm. If your goal is to make someone smile, an orange teddy bear will give them instant energy and joy.

White

The color white is typically symbolic of peace, purity, innocence and good spirits. For someone that is seeking a new beginning, a white teddy bear is ideal. However, a white teddy bear is rumored to indicate that a relationship is just a friendship and nothing more, and usually does not indicate a romantic gesture.

Hoping to get someone special the perfect teddy bear? Visit The Zoo Factory for a variety of animals, outfits, and extras.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

The Importance of Teddy Bears to Police Officers

When most adults think of police officers, we think of strong, brave men and women who spend their days and nights protecting us and maintaining the law.The Importance of Teddy Bears to Police Officers

And in the eyes of our children police officers are the individuals that can provide you with help in any situation.

Whether a child gets separated from their mother at the park or is in the back seat of their parent’s minivan during a fender bender, it is almost always a police officer who is there to console them and make sure they are ok.

In situations like these, the tools that brave officer uses are rather different than the ones they carry on a day-to-day basis, with one of the most important ones being a teddy bear.

According to Brunswick Police Captain Angela Smith, “When a child is caught up in a tragic situation, a teddy bear can distract and calm them,” which is why the Brunswick Police Department and so many others across the country keep teddy bears and other stuffed animal on hand to help comfort children in the midst of frightening situations.

This January, the Brunswick Police Department was lucky enough to receive the generous gift of 250 teddy bears; each packed neatly in its own gift bag.

Donated by local resident Doris Carter and the insurance firm she represents, this gift will go far in helping both local children and officers.

We at The Zoo Factory are incredibly touched by this sweet story, and thankful for all the brave men and women driving through their town with a teddy bear tucked in the trunk of their police car, ready for a child in need!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Hockey and Teddy Bears are the Perfect Pair

Hockey and Teddy Bears are the Perfect PairHockey is rough, aggressive, competitive, and strenuous sport. Teddy bears are soft warm, cozy, and sweet stuffed animals.

If you tried to list the similarities between hockey and teddy bears, you probably wouldn’t come up with much at all.

However, hockey and teddy bears have been making the perfect pair for decades.

Many minor and junior hockey teams in United States and Canada have made teddy bears a focus of their team during winter months.

Many hockey teams hold a “teddy bear toss” at one of their games during the holiday season.

Minor and junior hockey teams typically select one game where they encourage anyone attending to bring a teddy bear with them to the game. When the hockey game is finished, win or lose, the fans are encouraged to throw all of the teddy bears over the boards and onto the ice. The teddy bears are collected by the players and coaches and given to a good cause.

The teddy bears collected are donated to children at hospitals, local shelters, or charities in honor of the holiday season.

The teddy bear toss tradition has been going since the early nineties and it is still going throughout North America. Teams manage to collect hundreds to thousands of teddy bears during this event.

Below is a video of the Calgary Hitmen, a major junior ice hockey team out of Canada, receiving 17,601 teddy bears after a win at home.

The teddy bears collected during this even were able to be donate to 60 different local charities.

If you’re going to a teddy bear toss sometime soon, make sure you get your teddy bear from The Zoo Factory.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

A Teddy Bear Commercial Has Taken the World By Storm

If you have recently watched television, you have likely seen a commercial with two adorable teddy bears dressed as an elderly couple that are strolling hand in hand through a bustling airport. The teddy bear commercial was recently released and has already taken the world by storm.

Whether you are the one traveling or you are waiting for someone to travel to you, traveling is a huge part of the holiday season.

We all look forward to seeing our loved ones during the holiday season and this commercial uses that feeling to their advantage.

The commercial is titled “Coming Home for Christmas” and was distributed by London’s Heathrow Airport. It was the first Christmas commercial that airport has ever put out and it was certainly successful. The ad was filmed at the airport over the course of three days while the airport was operating.

The commercial, regardless of it being just a minute long, has received over three million views.

It is sweet, warm, and fuzzy, similar to the adorable bears that we follow throughout it.

We watch the bears get off of their airplane, get their passports checked, conquer an escalator together, and struggle reaching their baggage. They are portrayed as a well-dressed older couple, supporting one another in the attempt to travel without issues. The ending is guaranteed to pull on your heart strings.

Check out the commercial below:

Jonathon Coen, the commercial’s director spoke on the commercial saying, “We love the film and hope the bears’ journey through the airport captures that excitement you feel when walking through Heathrow arrivals into the arms of your loved ones at Christmas.”

We think the commercial is adorable and we can see why it has gotten international attention, cute teddy bears usually do.

If you are looking to give a teddy bear as a gift this holiday season, visit The Zoo Factory.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Open Heart Surgery Patients Get Teddy Bears

If you have recently visited the cardiac unit of a hospital, you have likely seen teddy bears sitting beside patients on their bed and walking hand in hand with surgeons. Many hospitals have rooms full of teddy bears for patients that get cardiac operations, such as open heart surgery.

The patients are given these teddy bears as a part of their recovery process. These bears are extremely firm and relatively heavy, serving a very important purpose. The bears are used as a chest brace for the patients.

After an operation, cardiac patients struggle with severe pain from their stitches. WheOpen Heart Surgery Patients Get Teddy Bears n patients need to cough, sneeze, or laugh, they hug the bear against their chest. Patients struggle after surgery to open the air sacs at the bottom of their lungs which causes frequent and painful coughing spells. Pressing the teddy bear against their chest eases the pain and holds the stitches in place. Patients keep the bear at their side throughout their hospital stay and the bear eventually goes home with the patient, serving as a keepsake for the patient.

The bears do not shed which ensures the cleanliness of the stitches. The bears are also a full-sized teddy bear which allows patients the ability to easily grab a hold of it and find it. It can easily be found when a patient is lying in bed. If the bear falls out of bed, it can be easily grabbed by an arm or a leg. Many hospitals used to use towels or pillows as a brace which were not as effective and not as cute!

These bears also become a companion for the patients. After a week or so in the hospital, patients get lonely, itching to go home to their family. These bears provide some company for patients, but most importantly, help them heal appropriately and comfortably. If someone you know just had a major operation, consider getting their cardiac bear a friend from The Zoo Factory.

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Celebrate National Teddy Bear Day With Us!

Can you believe it? National Teddy Bear Day is upon us, and The Zoo Factory team is ready to celebrate!

Join in on the fun this Friday, September 9, 2016 as everyone’s cute and snuggly childhood best friend finally gets the attention they deserve!

Think back. As a child, we all had a snuggly teddy bear we would squeeze tight when we got scared, fell asleep with at night, and that may have even joined us at the dinner table in its own special seat. At the time, your teddy bear was your best friend – by your side every day.

Wouldn’t it be nice to allow your son or daughter to make the same wonderful memories with their very own teddy?

We know that a ton of parents choose to simply pass down teddy bears to their younger children once the older ones seemingly grow out of using them as a security blanket. Before doing this, however, consider a couple of things.

Firstly, many children (though they might not want to admit it) still feel an emotional sense of ownership over their teddy bears even when they get older and depend on them less and less. With so many of their other things quickly becoming hand-me-downs, it’s nice to know that one thing will always remain theirs. On the other side of the coin, a younger child who may be on the receiving end of all things previously-loved may also crave something that is uniquely their own. You may not be able to give them their own room, but their own teddy is a great compromise in our book!

So why not celebrate National Teddy Bear Day with a brand new companion for your son or daughter? We’ll give you an even better excuse: we’re having a weekend flash sale on all teddy bears!

From Friday, September 9 until Sunday, September 11, 2016, enjoy 15% off all teddy bears at The Zoo Factory using the coupon code TEDDY16

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Top 5 Stuffed Animals For A Newborn

Top 5 Stuffed Animals For A NewbornAre you awaiting the birth of a newborn for yourself, friend or family member and want to find the perfect stuffed animal to accentuate the crib or just have something to remember you by?

We have compiled a list of the top 5 stuffed animals that we feel would be great to give as a gift:

Baby Icicle Snowman – if the baby is due in the upcoming winter or Christmas season, this snowman can be the perfect gift to go along with the season. It is a cute 8-inch doll that comes accessorized with a hat, scarf and, of course, a carrot nose.

Baby Cream Bunny – there is nothing more adorable than a bunny, well except a new baby of course! This baby cream bunny is the perfect size at 8 inches tall. This bunny will be a great toy for the newborn to give plenty of hugs to for the next few years.

Baby Billy Teddy Bear – what child, or even adult, doesn’t remember the teddy bear that they got as a baby that scared away the monsters or listened to their funny stories during playtime? Make this teddy bear the one that is remembered and cherished for many years to come.

Baby Goldie Golden Retriever – this puppy dog stuffed animal will appeal to anyone or any family that are dog lovers. Goldie is 8 inches tall and can be there right aside the new baby for all of his/her first’s in life.

Baby Glitter the Pink Horse – if there is a precious little girl on the way; Glitter will be a cute gift to give at a shower or to bring to the hospital during your first visit. This gift from you will be treasured for many years to come by the new baby on the way.

The gift of a stuffed animal is a classic present that will be cherished and remembered for years to come.

Find the perfect gift to welcome the newborn in your life with at The Zoo Factory by browsing our selection now. Contact us today!

Posted on by — Leave a comment

Creative Ways to Store Stuffed Animals

stuffed animals

Stuffed animals, whether they are yours or your children’s, tend to be fruitful and multiply. They are wonderful and warm gifts, and we all grow attached to them. Throwing them out is absolutely unheard of.

So how do you store them?

Do you stick them in a toy trunk or use them as decorations and display them?

Most stuffed animals are colorful and cute, and they make a great addition to your home decor. Burying them in a trunk or toy box doesn’t really give them their due. Especially for children who tend to have a special attachment to each stuffed animal, being able to see them all the time is like a security blanket. There are as many ways to display your stuffed animals as there are people to think of them, and here are a few ideas.

Of course you can always put them on a shelf or dresser top. But in the interest of getting a bit more creative, think a bit outside the box. Get a nice tree branch from your yard. You can paint it to accent the room’s color or leave it natural. Then hang a swing from the branch and display the stuffed animals on that swing.

Think baskets. They can be made of any material that you like, and you can buy them readymade or create your own if you’re that energetic. Hang the baskets from floor to ceiling and put a few stuffed animals in each basket. You might organize them according to species, or color, or put the ones your kids hold most often near the bottom so they are easily accessed.

Ladders are beautiful home accessories, and can hold books, objects or anything you can think of. So why not display stuffed animals on them. You can paint the ladder to compliment the room’s color or paint it your child’s favorite color, and let him or her help you place the animals. You should nail the ladder to the wall to prevent accidents.

Finally there is the catch-all – the hammock! String a hammock anywhere that suits the room and just pile all the stuffed animals in it. It is an adorable way to display them and your child will enjoy seeing them all in one place.

As an important part of your child’s life – or even yours – stuffed animals deserve to be visible to everyone. They add color, shape, and life to any room. So think about displaying them and not shutting them up with other toys. They are special items in your life, have earned your or your child’s love, and even been teachers. Honor them.

 
[msh_feedburner]
 

Posted on by — Leave a comment

A ‘Teddy Clinic’ Helps to Ease Children’s Fears of Hospital

teddy bear

We found an article from ABC News that we just had to share, it was too cute.

A group of German medical students have helped find a way to ease the fear of young children about being in a hospital- through the use of teddy bears and other stuffed animals. They hosted an event where they could help cure, test, and do surgery on stuffed animals (with imaginary illnesses, of course).

It is said that about 90% of children have fears and anxieties about hospitals and doctors. The students used a mix of real and fake instruments to help diagnose and treat the critters, including the use of x-rays and CT scans.

Some even had make-believe consultations and prescriptions given to them! One stuffed dragon needed to have an operation done, which gave his owner the chance to learn about sterility. So not only were the children involved in the process, they got to learn about what goes on in doctors rooms to make it all seem less scary.

Seeing that their favorite stuffed animals turned out ok, and stepping into the roles of doctors themselves helped them see the importance of the doctor’s jobs and see that it isn’t really all that scary. When you take a look at the original article (link at the bottom of the post) you will see that the children were even dressed up in scrubs and hair nets to get the full effect.

However, we are pleased to say that occasionally all that was needed to get the job done was a simple Band-Aid.

Stuffed animals have always been known to bring comfort in times of need, but it is simply heartwarming to see their affect at work like this.

Tell me, when have stuffed animals come to the rescue for you?

Check out the article from ABC News here.